Worldspan Interactive TV Takes off in the US

29th Apr 2002

Worldspan
, the leading global
reservation system and e-commerce provider for the travel industry, today
announced the launch of a unique new interactive television (iTV) travel
shopping solution that will enable TV viewers to shop for complete vacations
packages and other travel directly through their television.
Under an
alliance with Digeo, Inc., a leader in delivering advanced home entertainment
platforms and services to network operators, and Certified Vacations Group,
Inc.
, one of the country`s leading providers of vacation packages, Worldspan
is providing TV-based interactive travel information to more than 550,000
Charter Communications cable customers across the United States.

The rollout marks the first deployment of an iTV travel application with a
U.S. cable operator. Worldspan is the first and only global distribution
system to offer a travel solution designed specifically for the iTV space.

“Just as Worldspan was the first to offer travel solutions for Internet
sites and wireless service providers, we`re also taking the lead in travel
applications for the fast-developing iTV market,” commented Charlie Sullivan,
senior vice president - Business Services and Strategic Planning for
Worldspan. “With this bold move into a revolutionary new technology,
Worldspan underscores its commitment to innovation, always looking beyond the
next curve for new opportunities. We`re very pleased to unveil this first
travel-shopping product for the Digeo platform and look forward to extending
our reach in the iTV arena.”

With its easy-to-use features and engaging content, Digeo iTV technology
eases Charter customers into the world of interactive television. Accessible
through the same remote and set-top box that Charter customers are already
accustomed to using, Digeo`s Basic iTV channels offer a wealth of useful
information, including on-demand national and localized content such as news,
weather, sports, entertainment, shopping and financial information.

Via the new travel-shopping application created jointly by Digeo and
Worldspan, Worldspan and Certified Vacations showcase special vacation
packages offered by Delta Vacations, Continental Airlines Vacations, and
clikVacations.com. These one-of-a-kind trips-built around a weekly theme such
as Fun in the Sun, Mountain Adventures, or Casino Values-feature air, hotel,
ground transportation and entertainment options. Users can view additional
screens to get more information about the vacations offered before booking the
trip.

“By adding the Worldspan travel service to the Digeo Basic iTV line-up, we
are continuing to offer Charter customers access to convenient, value-added
applications right from their living rooms,” noted Richard Halbert, vice
president of e-commerce and advertising at Digeo. “We look forward to
continuing to partner with best-in-class companies such as Worldspan to
provide consumers with a better, more interactive television viewing
experience.”

As the global leader in travel e-commerce, Worldspan is uniquely
positioned to add value for cable companies and their customers through the
distribution of travel via iTV. Travel is already the leading source of
e-commerce transactions on the Web, and analysts project Internet travel
bookings will grow to more than $40 billion by 2003.

The announcement of Worldspan`s groundbreaking iTV travel application
comes in the week leading up to the start of Cable 2002, the National Cable &
Telecommunications Association`s 51st Annual Convention & International
Exposition, held May 5-8, 2002 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Worldspan will
offer hands-on demonstrations of this exciting new technology at its booth
(No. 3537) throughout the event.